130 THE AMERICAN MONTHLY [April 



of irregular, emphysematous swellings of the subcutan- 

 eous tissues and muscles, especially over the quarters. 

 The muscles in the aflfected areas have a dark color and 

 contain a bloody serum in which the bacillus is found to 

 which the disease is due. This is an anaerobic bacillus 

 which forms large oval spores. 



The aetiology of the disease was first clearly established 

 by the researches of Arloing. Coruevin, and Thomas (1880 

 to 1883). 



Strebel, in 1885, published the reaults of protective 

 inoculations made in Switzerland in 1884. The inocula- 

 tions were made in the end of the tail with two "vac- 

 cines," wnth an interval between the two of from 

 nine to fourteen days. The vaccines were prepared by 

 exposure to heat, as recommended by Arloing, Cornevin, 

 and Thomas. The most favorable season for inoculations 

 was found to be the spring, and the most favorable age 

 of cattle for inoculation from five months to two years. 



In seven Swiss cantons 2,199 cattle were inoculated; 

 1,810 inoculations were made among animals which were 

 exposed in dangerously infected pastures. Of these but 

 two died, one two months and the other four months 

 after the protective inoculations. Among 908 inoculated 

 cattle, which were pastured with 1,650 others not inocu- 

 lated, the mortality was 0-22 per cent, while the loss 

 among the latter was 6-1 per cent. The following year 

 (1885), according to Strebel, the number of inocnlations, 

 exclusive of those made in the canton of Bern, was 35,000. 

 The losses among inoculated animals are reported as hav- 

 ing been about five times less than among those not pro- 

 tected in this way. 



Note. — We are indebted to tlie Editor of Popular Science 

 Monthly for permission to reproduce the above part of Dr. Stern- 

 berg's address, the? balance of which will be found in the April 

 number of the P. S. M. 



